Make Your Next Trip Extraordinary
Don’t Fall For This Travel Scam
Learn how to outsmart the fraudsters. Photo: Shutterstock There’s a scam going around that every traveler should know about: Fraudsters are posing as airlines or airline-focused travel agencies, booking real flights, charging hefty extra fees that they often falsely claim are imposed by the airline, and sometimes even canceling those flights, leaving travelers high and dry.
These scammers are catching unsuspecting travelers in a couple of ways: First, they’re sharing incorrect phone numbers for airlines on websites with user-contributed content. Second, they’re purchasing ads that make their sites appear at the top of online searches and social-media feeds. Third, they’re changing the contact information in Google’s “Knowledge Panel” (the box that often shows up beside the main results when you search for a business).
Our advice is this: Communicate with an airline only via a phone number, email address, or chat box that you’ve found directly on their own website or app. Be vigilant in confirming that you have the right site; scammers often try to seem reputable by using real logos and photos, or slightly changing the spelling of an actual company’s name in a URL or email address. Before engaging with a business, Google it to suss out any reports of fraud. And always pay by credit card, which offers far more consumer protections than paying by bank transfer.
Here’s one more thing to keep in mind: Just about every victim of a scam will tell you that something seemed off, but they ignored that feeling and carried on with the transaction. So trust your gut. If your “Spidey-sense” starts tingling, hang up the phone, close your browser tab, and start over.
We’re grateful that so many of our travelers report back after their trips planned by folks on The WOW List. It’s that firsthand feedback that helps fellow travelers decide who they can trust. Read on to learn how WOW List experts go the extra mile to protect—not drain—your funds and your sanity.
COLOMBIA: Altering plans at the last minute to accommodate travelers’ changing schedules
Members of the Whisenant family during a trip highlight: a cooking class at a private chef’s home.
“Boris and his team planned a fantastic journey and really stepped up when we had issues! We visited Medellín, the coffee region, and Cartagena. Two weeks before our trip, one of my older sons found out he would be working in Medellín at the same time we were in Colombia. Boris was able to book my son on a flight from Medellín to Cartagena at the end of his work week. He was also able to secure a room for my son to stay at our hotel in Cartagena. My son was able to join us for the last portion of the vacation and activities, thanks to Boris and his team! The second issue we ran into was the couple traveling with us had a family member pass away during our trip. The husband had to fly home early. Boris and his team worked to accommodate this change.
In Medellín, we visited District 13 and a historical monument dedicated to the loss of life during the Escobar years (our guide Lillian was very informative regarding the history of Colombia…she was also a reporter). We visited the second-largest collection of orchids in the world at the home garden of the collector. We also had a private cooking class at a chef’s home. In the coffee region, we stayed at a wonderful hacienda out in the country…so tranquil and lots of birds. In Cartagena, we did a rum tasting, a private cooking class (one of the trip highlights!!!!), and a street food tour. The final day was spent island-hopping in the Rosario Islands with a stop for lunch at a beach club…a perfect end to our trip.” —Molly Whisenant
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
JAPAN: Avoiding cancellation fees when a traveler’s daughter is hospitalized and they need to reschedule
Our WOW Lister managed to reschedule a trip to Kanazawa and beyond. Photo: Shutterstock
“We contacted Andrea to plan a trip for my family of five adults. We were all set to go when my daughter was hospitalized. I spoke with Andrea and he said he would do what he could to cancel or defer the trip, but we were not hopeful, as the cancellation rules in Japan are strict. To my great surprise and delight, he worked it out so the trip was rescheduled for the end of February. Honestly, he worked some kind of magic!
A few key highlights: The hotels and ryokan Andrea chose were wonderful. The visit to the snow monkeys was a high point, and we were there when it was snowing. Perfect! And we really enjoyed exploring Kanazawa and loved our private visit to the knife forge and making washi—handmade paper.
We felt well taken care of by Andrea and his team. They really focused on service and could not have been more helpful.” —Nancy Laben
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
PANAMA: Pivoting and problem-solving to optimize everyone’s experience
Panama City’s Casco Viejo is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo: Shutterstock
“For our spring break trip, Pierre and his team found a gorgeous, small boutique hotel in the heart of Old Town Panama City, a working coffee farm high in the mountains with hiking among waterfalls and in the cloud forest, and a rustic, off-the-grid small beach resort in Bocas del Toro. The guides and drivers adjusted schedules on the fly to get the best visibility of the canal and to optimize our time with the wild monkeys well away from the crowded tourist boats—a huge hit with our 9-year-old! We were particularly impressed when one driver was able to quickly reorganize a complicated drive/boat transfer mid-route when one of our party was unexpectedly ill, seamlessly shifting logistics to better fit the immediate need.
But most impressive was Pierre’s response when one of the hotels had an issue—he responded within 45 minutes with an alternate solution, advocated for us with the hotel itself, and continued to stay in touch and make sure everything was resolved. We were very impressed with his professionalism and his quick response!!” —Katherine Sanders
To get your own WOW trip, start with our trip questionnaire, reached via the black button below.
Be a smarter traveler: Sign up for Wendy’s weekly newsletter to stay in the know. Read real travelers’ reviews, then use the black CONTACT buttons on Wendy’s WOW List to reach out to the right local fixer for your trip.
Our Latest Newsletters
